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The study will evaluate the efficacy of a novel intervention implemented in a classroom setting aimed at improving joint attention and joint engagement skills with infants who are at risk of developing an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Condition or disease

Intervention/treatment

Phase

Children at Risk for ASD

Behavioral: Baby JASPERBehavioral: Standard Baby Classroom

Not Applicable

Detailed Description:

The proposed intervention adapts a parent-mediated intervention that successfully improved outcomes in toddlers with autism. The intervention model (a) targets the foundations of social-communication (joint attention, imitation, play), (b) uses naturalistic strategies to increase the rate and complexity of social-communication and (c) includes parents as implementers of the intervention to promote generalization across settings and activities and to ensure maintenance over time.

In addition to testing the primary effects of this early intervention on the developmental outcomes of children with signs of autism, we will examine whether this method is superior to an early intervention focused on global infant development. Because brain development occurs rapidly in infants and toddlers, we will use high density EEG to investigate (1) biomarkers of change in these infants as a result of intervention and (2) biomarkers predicting response to treatment, with focus on the neural correlates of social attention and learning from joint engagement.

Study Aims:

AIM 1: To examine the effects of the experimental intervention (Baby JASPER) on primary (joint attention) and secondary outcomes (receptive language, play, symbol-infused joint engagement and parent use of social communication support strategies).

AIM 2: To examine maintenance and generalization of the effects of the experimental intervention on children and their parents.

AIM 3: To examine electrophysiological biomarkers of change with treatment as well as predictors of social communication outcomes in children after intervention.

AIM 4 (exploratory): To examine the effect of potential child level and parent level moderators on the primary and secondary outcomes of the study across the two conditions.

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Ages Eligible for Study:

12 Months to 21 Months (Child)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Have elevated scores on the ADOS-Toddler version and clinical concern from professional (Pediatrician, Psychologist, etc). Because of the young age of children, we expect to intervene with children who do not yet have a diagnosis of ASD but may only show some risk by virtue of elevated scores on the ADOS-T.

Have a parent available for parent-mediated sessions 2 times per week in the classroom

Baron-Cohen, S. (1993). From attention-goal psychology to belief-desire psychology: The development of a theory of mind and its dysfunction. In S. Baron-Cohen, H. Tager-Flusberg, & D. J. Cohen (Eds.), Understanding other minds: Perspectives from autism, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Dawson, G., & Galpert, L. (1990). Mother's use of imitative play for facilitating social responsiveness and toy play in young autistic children. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 151-162.

Dawson, G., & Osterling, J. (1997). Early intervention in autism: Effectiveness and common elements of current approaches. In Guralnick, M. J. (Ed.), The Effectiveness of Early Intervention: Second Generation Research (pp. 307-326). Balitmore, MD: Brookes.